1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to ladders. More specifically, the present invention relates to ladder devices with support braces to help prevent accidental lateral movement of a ladder.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the past, a number of devices have been attached to the side support rails of a ladder to reduce the risk of lateral tripping during periods of use. These devices were generally of insufficient structural support resulting in failure, especially during use in increased load situations. The devices used to provide bilateral support were additionally expandable in order to provide for engagement of the supports to a ground surface following the placement of a ladder in a desired location. The means employed for retention of the expandable features in an extended position also frequently failed as a result of inadequate structural design. Additionally, the devices used for bilateral support frequently increased the bulkiness, clumsiness, and storage space required for a ladder during periods of portability or non-use. In many cases these bulky and unbalanced devices made it difficult to use the ladder in a conventional manner and could only be used with the stabilizer supports fully engaged. In addition, these devices did not consider the importance of maintaining the natural design profile of the ladder. As a result, the stabilizer supports became "protruding appendages" that deviated considerably from standard ladder design which made them inconvenient or unsafe to operate.
The bilateral support devices as known fail to incorporate a hinge of increased structural strength and durability into a nesting brace for the provision of improved support for a ladder. The bilateral support devices as known have not provided a mechanism for automatically locking a hinge and a corresponding nesting brace into an operative position. These support devices also have not included a coupling feature for mating of the pair of side support rails into the nesting braces for convenient transportation and storage of a ladder. These support devices have not incorporated their side support rails into a profile of a standard ladder design making the side supports almost indistinguishable from the ladder itself in the closed or non-use position. Past support devices have not allowed for use of the ladder in a conventional manner without support braces. These devices have not added the benefit of a nesting ability, doubling the strength and support of existing ladder side rails when the ladder is used conventionally without the side support extended. Finally, the support devices as known have not included an expansible feature of sufficient strength and durability to support the use of a ladder upon a non-level support surface during increased load situations.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singularly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus a ladder with lateral support braces solving the aforementioned problems is desired.